Chennai, July 2 (TIWN) 'Ponniyin Selvan 1', or PS1, the epic movie made on a whopping Rs 500-crore budget by ace director Mani Ratnam, is to hit the screens on September 30.

The movie, based on the 1955 novel Ponniyin Selvan, by Kalki Krishnamoorthy is, according to Mani Ratnam, his masterpiece and he has been able to helm it only after several failed attempts.  Ever since the novel became a hit in Tamil Nadu, many movie makers attempted to work on it, but they could not turn their pursuit into a film.  The novel is based on the 10th-century Chola period and the fights within the ruling clan. The role played by spies of the empire, its military leaders and the politics behind it are all shown in the movie.  Legendary Tamil actor MG Ramachandran (MGR), who later went on to become the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, and was awarded Bharat Ratna posthumously, had tried his hand in making Ponniyin Selvan after the novel hit the stands. His attempt, too, did not lead to any results due to various reasons.